High Chest of Drawers

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Collection Type

Furniture

Date

1740-1765

GUSN

GUSN-2434

Description

A high chest of drawers that is whitewood painted in black feather design on a yellow-brown background on drawer fronts. The sides are painted a series of vertical wavy strokes. No other finish or color is discernable under the present finish. It is a grain-painted Queen Anne flat top in two pieces: its has a rectangular molded top over two small drawers and four graduated drawers; the lower section has three thumb-molded smaller drawers over a shaped apron and sides supported by cabriole legs with duck feet. It has its original bat-wing brass and bail handles. The decoration is in simulation of burl walnut veneer.

Details

Descriptive Terms

high chests of drawerscase furnituregrainingchestnut (wood)poplar (wood)Chest Of Drawers

Label

Painting is the least expensive method of embellishing furniture. This high chest is painted in a stylized manner that imitates the graining of more expensive woods. Whoever made this high chest used readily available poplar and chestnut woods, painted to look more like burled walnut, creating an up-to-date piece of furniture without the expense of more costly materials.